armer ancher Serving the producers of Northwest Saskatchewan Thursday, April 9, 2015, North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Organic transition focus of workshop By John Cairns Staff Reporter
Organic farming was the focus of a workshop at Western Development Museum April 1. The title was Transitioning to Organic Farming, and it was a day-long session aimed at farmers looking to transition from “conventional” farming to organic. The North Battleford workshop is the first of five one-day workshops held across the province in April. The others were scheduled for Humboldt, Assiniboia, Estevan and Swift Current. The events are funded by the Ministry of Agriculture Industry Organization Development Fund, Government of Saskatchewan. The morning session was devoted to introducing the participants to a definition of what organic farming is and the business case for it. The afternoon sessions focused more on the practical side, with topics including the transition to organic farming, organic practices
and standards for soil fertilit as well. ity and crop rotation, weed There is strong demand and pest management and for organic product and that organic certification. was reflected in the prices. The transition period One of the presenters was J. involves considerable planWallace Hamm who operning and preparation and ates an organic farm operaisn’t an easy process. Pretion outside of Saskatoon. senter Sam Godwin outHe presented charts lined in the afternoon sesshowing historic relative sion the steps to convert a grain prices for various conventional farm to one organic and conventional that is certified organic, crops — red spring wheat, with the process happening barley, oats, flaxseed, soyover a span of about three or bean and corn. Thursday, March 19, 2015, North Battleford, Saskatchewan four years. All showed organic pricThe process starts with es on an upward trajectory, the farm going substanceoutpacing conventional free in the first year and prices by a considerable there are other challenges margin. Organic red spring to negotiate, such as an inwheat prices were shown as crease in weeds, as farmers approaching $25 a bushel, adjust to a completely difcompared to around $5 for ferent way of farming. conventional. Organic barThe point was made durley was selling in the area ing the morning session that of $450 a tonne compared organic grain production to somewhere around $125 was not simply an option for conventional, and it was for farmers looking to get a similar story for the rest, away from the chemicals with organics outpacing and pesticides used in conconventional prices by two J. Wallace Hamm PAg speaks on the business case for to three times the amount. ventional farming. As presenters pointed organic farming during a Transitioning to Organic FarmThe only point in which out, there was an opportu- ing Workshop put on at the Western Development Mu- organic prices showed a nity to make good money at seum. Photo by John Cairns noticeable dip was during
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the recession year of 2010, where prices were closer to where conventional levels were. The point Hamm made was that organic farmers spend half as much, and net twice as much per acre as their conventional farming counterparts. One would think the existing organic farmers would be happy if they didn’t have any additional competition. But Hamm noted organic farming’s market share was under threat from countries such as Argentina, Kazakhstan and elsewhere, and noted the importance of keeping their market share up to maintain the infrastructure and the elevators dedicated to organic farmers. “We as an existing industry, we in existing organic farming, don’t want to lose market share (or) lose the infrastructure that we’ve developed over the last 25 years,“ Hamm said. “That’s why we’re here talking to you and inviting you to join us.”
ancher
Serving the producers of Northwest Saskatchewan
SECOND SECTION
New web portal supports Environmental Farm Plan Staff The federal and provincial governments have announced a new web portal for Saskatchewan’s Environmental Farm Plan program. According to a Saskatchewan government press release, the portal allows farm owners to create, review and update their EFPs online and at their own pace. As well, the Beneficial Management Practices available through the Farm Stewardship Program have been enhanced, the release states. There are now 24 BMPs
under seven categories, including five new BMPs and enhancements to seven existing BMPs. The Farm Stewardship Program is designed to help Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers implement practices that maintain or improve the quality of the environment. “Saskatchewan producers are constantly analyzing the effects of their farming and ranching practices on the environment and putting best management practices into place,” Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said.
“The new EFP program portal will be a valuable tool for producers that our government is proud to support.” “Saskatchewan’s farmers and ranchers have made a commitment to environmental sustainability, and we’re proud to support their efforts,” Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said, “Through farmers’ Environmental Farm Plans and the implementation of Beneficial Management Practices, our province is better positioned to improve
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the quality of our soil, water, air and the biodiversity of our resources.” BMPs may be accessed and implemented with the completion of an EFP. They minimize negative impacts and risk to the environment while ensuring the longterm health and economic strength of the agriculture industry. Funding for implementation of BMPs is available through the Farm Stewardship Program, according to the government. “Developing an Environmental Farm Plan and
participating in the Farm Stewardship program helped me redirect my runoff water, improving the quality of nearby water sources,” cattle rancher Jack Hextall said. “That’s been a benefit not only for my family and my cattle, but also, and more importantly, for the land and environment around us.” The new EFP web portal can be accessed at efp.saskatchewan.ca. New BMPs include grain bag rollers and carcass disposal planning. Funding caps were also increased on
several existing BMPs to further encourage producers to make environmentally beneficial changes to their operations. More information about the Farm Stewardship Program and the full list of BMPs can be viewed at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/ GF2-FarmStewardship. The EFP program and the Farm Stewardship Program are funded through Growing Forward 2, a cost-shared partnership between federal, provincial and territorial governments.
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